Heat driven osmosis water and power generator

Abstract

A heat driven osmosis water and power generator consists of dilute hygroscopic solution flow loop, an air humidity exchanger, a condensation solution circulation pump, a pressure retarded osmosis exchanger, a pressure exchanger, an evaporation chamber, a recuperative heat exchanger, a concentrated solution circulation pump, a solution pressure differential turbine generator, a freshwater power turbine, a concentrated hygroscopic solution flow loop and condensed water reservoir. The pump circulates low concentration, dilute, hygroscopic solution between air humidity exchanger and osmosis exchanger. Moisture is absorbed into low concentration hygroscopic solution from air circulation through humidity exchanger. As solution circulates through osmosis exchanger, moisture is extracted through osmosis membrane by concentrated hygroscopic solution. Concentrated hygroscopic solution circulation pump circulates high concentration solution between pressure retarded osmosis exchanger and vaporization chamber. Solution flowing to and from vaporization chamber is maintained at a lower pressure than fluid circulating through osmosis exchanger.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A water and power generator comprising:
 a dilute condensation hygroscopic solution;   a concentrated hygroscopic solution;   an osmosis exchanger;   an air humidity exchanger;   a pressure exchange turbine generator;   an evaporation chamber, and   a concentrated solution circulation pump,   wherein the dilute condensation hygroscopic solution circulating between the air humidity exchanger and the osmosis exchanger whereby it extracts moisture from ambient air and supplies the moisture to the osmosis exchanger, the concentrated hygroscopic solution circulating between the osmosis exchanger and the evaporation chamber whereby it absorbs solution by osmosis in the osmosis exchanger and releases it in the evaporation chamber,   wherein the concentrated solution pump receiving water depleted hygroscopic solution leaving the evaporation chamber and supplying it through the osmosis exchanger to the pressure exchange turbine at high pressure,   wherein the concentrated hygroscopic solution having a higher absorption affinity for moisture absorbs water from the diluted concentration hygroscopic solution by osmosis as it passes through the osmosis exchanger and thereby brings the absorbed water to the high pressure of the concentrated solution as supplied by the concentrated solution circulation pump, and   wherein at substantially the same pressure, the increased volume of solution flow to turbine generator relative to that supplied by the concentrated solution circulation pump results in a greater amount of power being generated by the pressure exchange turbine generator than that consumed by the concentrated solution circulation pump resulting in net output power.   
     
     
         2 . The water and power generator as disclosed in  claim 1  further including a pressure exchanger, the pressure exchanger being fluidly coupled between the osmosis exchanger and the evaporation chamber in parallel with the pressure exchange turbine generator and in series with the concentrated solution circulation pump whereby the volume flowing through the pressure exchange turbine generator is substantially equivalent to the volume of water absorbed by the concentrated hydroscopic solution within the osmosis exchanger, and the volume flowing through the pressure exchanger is substantially equivalent to that pumped by concentrated solution circulation pump, the pressure exchanger recovering the pressure energy of hygroscopic solution leaving the osmosis exchanger passing therethrough from high pressure to low pressure and supplying the pressure energy to the diluted condensation hygroscopic solution passing therethrough from the evaporation chamber to supply it at high pressure to the concentrated solution circulation pump. 
     
     
         3 . The water and power generator as disclosed in  claim 1  further includes a freshwater turbine and wherein the evaporation chamber includes a heat sink for removing heat to condense the water vapor generated therein, the resulting condensed water being supplied under pressure to the freshwater turbine whereby the freshwater turbine generates electrical power. 
     
     
         4 . The water and power generator as disclosed in  claim 1  further includes a water collection reservoir, water condensed in the evaporation chamber being supplied to the water collection reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . A water and power generator comprising:
 an evaporation chamber;   a humidity exchanger;   a freshwater column having vertical height with a top end and bottom end;   a freshwater electrical generator;   a humidity exchange chamber, and   a hygroscopic solution,   wherein the evaporation chamber, the humidity exchange chamber, the freshwater column and the freshwater electrical generator are fluidically coupled together, the hygroscopic solution being contained within the evaporation chamber and humidity exchange chamber and circulating between the evaporation chamber and the humidity exchange chamber, the humidity exchange chamber exposing the hygroscopic solution to ambient air to facilitate attraction and condensation of ambient humidity into the hygroscopic solution to form a water hydroscopic solution, the resulting water latent hygroscopic solution carrying the absorbed water to the evaporation chamber where heat is supplied to evaporate water therefrom, the evaporated water flowing to the top end of the water column where heat is removed to condense the water, the fresh water electrical generator being connected to the bottom of the freshwater column, the condensed water flowing under the pressure resulting from the weight of the water column through the electrical generator to produce electricity.